Hitsville to the Keyboard: A Detroit Soul Weekend

Detroit has played a pivotal role in American culture. From hot rods to hot songs, Detroit is innovation and classic at the same time. So for the inaugural issue of this newsletter I had a dilemma: do we split the middle… "General Motors and Motown"?

Nah, there's too much history here to condense both of these themes into one weekend. So let's consider this week and next a double feature. Week one, a tribute to the voices and music that moved a generation, samples that continue to remix those voices for a new audience, and the through line: the food that fuels us.

Speaking of fuel, you can't talk Detroit without talking cars. Everyone here knows someone who works for one of the automakers, if they don't themselves. Before it was Silicon Valley, Detroit was America's hub of innovation. I would argue it still is. So, week two, we'll be touring the automakers and checking out some unique cars while fueling up at establishments that have withstood the test of time.

But this weekend we start with the music. Unfortunately, the Motown Museum is undergoing renovations but PSYCHEDELIC SOUL: A JOURNEY THROUGH RHYTHM AND TIME will take you through Motown's most inventive and experimental age and Jazz at Baker's will transport you back in time. At Savannah Blue you'll get a contemporary take on classic soul food and at Eastern Market you'll get a taste of how fresh and vibrant the city is. I hope you're as excited as I am.

On a personal note, I'm so happy to have you along on this journey with me. I was born here, and sometimes I feel we can take for granted or under-appreciate what Detroit has to offer. You experience one place so long it becomes the backdrop of your life, mundane or ordinary through no fault of its own. I guess I'm doing this newsletter and this website to rediscover/remember how great this city is. Thanks for reading. See you there.

— Evan